A new dinosaur ichnotaxon from the Lower Cretaceous Patuxent Formation of Maryland and Virginia

Ichnos: An International Journal for Plant and Animal Traces
By: , and 

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Abstract

In recent years, numerous dinosaur footprints have been discovered on bedding surfaces within the Lower Cretaceous Patuxent Formation of Maryland and Virginia. Among these, distinctive small tracks that display a combination of small manus with five digit impressions and a relatively much larger pes with four toe impressions evidently were made by animals belonging to the ornithischian family Hypsilophodontidae. These tracks differ from any ornithischian ichnotaxon previously described. We here name them Hypsiloichnus marylandicus and provide a description of their diagnostic characteristics. Although hypsilophodontid skeletal remains have not been found in the Patuxent, their skeletal remains are known from Lower Cretaceous strata of similar age in both western North America and Europe. Therefore, it is not surprising to find that an Early Cretaceous representative of this family also existed in eastern North America.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title A new dinosaur ichnotaxon from the Lower Cretaceous Patuxent Formation of Maryland and Virginia
Series title Ichnos: An International Journal for Plant and Animal Traces
DOI 10.1080/10420940490428797
Volume 11
Issue 3-4
Year Published 2004
Language English
Publisher Taylor & Francis
Description 9 p.
First page 251
Last page 259
Country United States
State Maryland, Virginia
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